Porcelain tile installations for vehicular use

ABSTRACT

A method of installing a porcelain tile installation for vehicular use is provided. The method can include covering a compacted aggregate surface with a tile bed composition; compacting the tile bed; installing a plurality of porcelain tiles and spacers on the compacted tile bed surface in a predetermined pattern, such that each respective porcelain tile includes a thickness of about 3 cm to about 5 cm; such that one or more spacers includes a base component positioned under adjacent tiles and a vertical component positioned between a sidewall of the adjacent tiles, such that the vertical component provides a joint defined by a spaced distance between the adjacent tiles; adding a polymeric sand composition to each respective joint to obtain a joint-filled porcelain tile surface; compacting the joint-filled porcelain tile surface with a compactor; and activating the polymeric sand composition to obtain the porcelain tile installation for vehicular use.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/268,609 filed on Feb. 27, 2022, the content of which is relied upon and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to a method of installing porcelain tiles; more particularly, to installing porcelain tiles on an aggregate surface; and more particularly, to installing porcelain tiles on an aggregate surface in an area used by vehicles.

BACKGROUND

Porcelain tiles (also referred to as “pavers”) have been used in a wet-set process for surfaces arranged for walking traffic, but not in a dry-set process for surfaces used for vehicular traffic. There are various reasons for this. For example, vehicles and other heavy machines can cause an underlying tile to shift its position relative to adjacent tiles when a vehicle suddenly brakes, accelerates, turns, or otherwise makes a movement that delivers substantial weight, force, and/or pressure near a peripheral portion of the underlying tile. And when adjacent tiles contact one another, the areas of contact are prone to chipping and/or cracking. As such, porcelain tiles have not been used in a dry-set process for surfaces used for vehicular traffic because the vehicles would likely damage the tiles in the installation. Furthermore, no large format hardscape products (e.g., concrete, clay, natural stone, and porcelain tiles) having a length or width of 24 inches or more and a thickness of 1.25 inches or less have previously been available on the market. Rather, the available large format products are slabs having a thickness of 4 inches or more, the size of which is impractical for installing installations used for vehicular use. Another reason porcelain tiles are not used in such a dry-set process is because porcelain tile manufacturers advise against compacting their product. Compaction involves the application of vibrational forces against the surface of the underlying tiles, and the technique is used to pack the material in the joints between adjacent tiles. Manufacturers of porcelain tiles advice against compaction due to the reduced thickness (e.g., less than 1.25 inches) of the tiles. For at least these reasons, the system and method of installing a porcelain tile installation via the dry-set process described herein faced robust skepticism by those skilled in the art.

SUMMARY

In various embodiments, a method of installing a porcelain tile installation for vehicular use is provided. The method can comprise the steps of: covering a compacted aggregate surface with a tile bed composition to obtain a tile bed; compacting the tile bed to obtain a compacted tile bed surface; installing a plurality of porcelain tiles and a plurality of spacers on the compacted tile bed surface to obtain an intermediate porcelain tile installation, the plurality of porcelain tiles positioned a predetermined pattern, wherein each respective porcelain tile comprises a thickness of about 3 cm to about 5 cm; wherein one or more respective spacers comprises a base component positioned under adjacent tiles of the plurality of porcelain tiles and a vertical component positioned between a sidewall of the adjacent tiles, the vertical component providing a joint defined by a spaced distance between the adjacent tiles; adding a polymeric sand composition to each respective joint in the intermediate porcelain tile installation to obtain a first joint-filled porcelain tile surface; compacting the first joint-filled porcelain tile surface with a compactor to obtain a compacted first joint-filled porcelain tile surface; and activating the polymeric sand composition to obtain the porcelain tile installation for vehicular use.

In various embodiments, a method of installing a porcelain tile installation for vehicular use is provided. The method can comprise the steps of covering a compacted aggregate surface with a tile bed composition to obtain a tile bed; compacting the tile bed to obtain a compacted tile bed surface; installing a plurality of porcelain tiles and a plurality of spacers on the compacted tile bed surface to obtain an intermediate porcelain tile installation, the plurality of porcelain tiles positioned a predetermined pattern, wherein each respective porcelain tile comprises a thickness of about 3 cm to about 5 cm; wherein one or more respective spacers comprises a base component positioned under adjacent tiles of the plurality of porcelain tiles and a vertical component positioned between a sidewall of the adjacent tiles, the vertical component providing a joint defined by a spaced distance between the adjacent tiles; adding a polymeric sand composition to each respective joint in the intermediate porcelain tile installation to obtain a first joint-filled porcelain tile surface; compacting the first joint-filled porcelain tile surface with a compactor to obtain a compacted first joint-filled porcelain tile surface; further adding the polymeric sand composition into each respective joint of the compacted first joint-filled porcelain tile surface to obtain a second joint-filled porcelain tile surface; further compacting the second joint-filled porcelain tile surface with a compactor to obtain a compacted second joint-filled porcelain tile surface; further adding the polymeric sand composition into each respective joint of the compacted second joint-filled porcelain tile surface to obtain a third joint-filled porcelain tile surface; further compacting the third joint-filled porcelain tile surface with a compactor to obtain a compacted third joint-filled porcelain tile surface; and activating the polymeric sand composition to obtain the porcelain tile installation for vehicular use.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description describe various embodiments and are intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the claimed subject matter. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the various embodiments and are incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate the various embodiments described herein and, together with the description, explain the principles and operations of the claimed subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A complete understanding of the present embodiments and the advantages and features thereof will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a porcelain tile installation, in accordance with some embodiments described herein;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a porcelain tile installation, in accordance with FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a spacer for use in a porcelain tile installation, in accordance with FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a porcelain tile installation, in accordance with FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a porcelain tile installation, in accordance with FIG. 1 ; and

FIG. 6 a perspective view of a porcelain tile installation, in accordance with FIG. 1 .

The drawings are not necessarily to scale, and certain features and certain views of the drawings may be shown exaggerated in scale or in schematic in the interest of clarity and conciseness.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary embodiment(s), examples of which is/are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same reference characters will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

Before describing the exemplary embodiments, it is noted the embodiments reside primarily in combinations of components and procedures related to the apparatus. Accordingly, the method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present disclosure so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.

The specific details of the various embodiments described herein are used for demonstration purposes only, and no unnecessary limitation or inferences are to be understood therefrom. Furthermore, as used herein, relational terms, such as “first” and “second,” “top” and “bottom,” and the like, may be used solely to distinguish one entity or element from another entity or element without necessarily requiring or implying any physical or logical relationship, or order between such entities or elements.

In various embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 1-6 , a method of installing a porcelain tile installation for vehicular use is provided. The method comprises the use of a plurality of porcelain tiles to create the installation for vehicular use. As shown in FIGS. 2, 4 , and 5, the porcelain tiles 110 are used to cover, for example, the driveway area extending between the street and a home or garage. One of skill in the art would appreciate that porcelain tiles have specific properties, including minimal water absorption, antimicrobial, and slip resistance, that are desirable for a porcelain tile installation in a residential or commercial area used by vehicles.

Any suitable sized porcelain tile can be used. In this context, the suitability of the porcelain tile is determined based on the resiliency of the tiles to withstand the weight and movement of motor vehicles and various steps of the installation procedure. In some embodiments, the method comprises the installation of porcelain tiles on a tile bed, which will allow some movement of the tiles when a motor vehicle drives across the installation. In some embodiments, the method comprises the use of a sand composition to fill the joints (i.e., the open spaces) between adjacent porcelain tiles. And, in some embodiments, the combination of the porcelain tiles and the installed sand composition are compacted with a compactor. Accordingly, in the various embodiments, the porcelain tiles must be sufficiently resilient to withstand the vibrational forces asserted by the compactor during one or more compaction steps and to withstand the weight and movement of a motor vehicle.

The porcelain tiles can have any suitable three-dimensional shape. In some embodiments, the porcelain tiles comprise a rectangular cuboid (rectangular parallelepiped) shape. In such embodiments, the porcelain tiles comprise a top surface, a bottom surface opposite to the top surface, and four sidewalls extending between the top and bottom surfaces, which are separated by a distance that defines the height (or thickness) of the four sidewalls and the thickness of the porcelain tiles. As shown in FIG. 2 , for example, the porcelain tile 110 a comprises the top surface 109, a bottom surface (not shown), and the four sidewalls 111 extending between the top and bottom surfaces. In some embodiments, the porcelain tiles have a thickness in the range of about 3 cm to about 7 cm, including a specific thickness of 3 cm, 4 cm, 5 cm, 6 cm, or 6.5 cm; or, about 3 cm, about 4 cm, or about 5 cm. In this context, the term “about” refers to the stated amount (e.g., 3 cm)±2 mm.

The porcelain tiles can have any suitable length and width. For example, each respective porcelain tile can comprise a width ranging from about 4 inches to about 48 inches and a length ranging from about 8 inches to about 48 inches. The listed ranges encompass any subrange (e.g., a width of about 12 inches to about 36 inches, and a length of about 24 inches to about 36 inches) or any specific dimensions (e.g., 4″×8″; 6″×12″; 8″×32″; 12″×12″; 12″×24″; 12″×36″; 16″×32″; 24″×24″; 6″×48″; 48″×48″; etc. (width×length)).

In some embodiments, one or more of the porcelain tiles 110 comprises one or more unpolished sidewalls 111. An unpolished sidewall has a rough surface that is not smooth like a polished surface. Without being bound to a specific theory, the additional surface texture provided by an unpolished sidewall surface facilitates an improved bonding between adjacent porcelain tiles and the filler (e.g., a sand composition) added to the joints therebetween.

In various embodiments, the method of installing the porcelain tile installation for vehicular use comprises installing the porcelain tiles 110 in a predetermined pattern. In some embodiments, for example, a plurality of porcelain tiles 110 are arranged in a standard grid arrangement, as shown in FIG. 2 . In some embodiments, for example, a plurality of porcelain tiles 110 are arranged in an interlocking pattern, as shown in FIGS. 4-6 . Without being bound to a specific theory, the interlocking pattern can improve the overall strength of the installation because the respective tiles are more resistant to movement (e.g., pivoting) when a vehicle suddenly brakes, accelerates, turns, or otherwise makes a movement that delivers substantial weight, force, and/or pressure near a non-central, peripheral portion of one or more of the underlying tiles.

In some embodiments, the process comprises the use of a plurality of spacers, whereby each respective spacer is installed between two or more (e.g., 2, 3, or 4) adjacent porcelain tiles. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the spacer 112 is installed on the surface of the compacted tile bed 122 in a position between and partially underneath two or more tiles 110. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3 , the spacer 112 comprises the base component 114 and the vertical component 116. During use, the spacer 112 is installed such that the base component 114 is positioned under one or more (e.g., adjacent) porcelain tiles and the vertical component 116 is positioned against one or more sidewalls 111 of a porcelain tile, against two or more sidewalls 111 of adjacent porcelain tiles, and/or between adjacent porcelain tiles. In FIG. 2 , for example, the spacer 112 a is installed and positioned on the surface 124 of the compacted tile bed 122 such that its base component 114 is under the bottom surface corner area of the porcelain tile 110 a and its vertical component 116 is positioned against the surfaces of the two exposed sidewalls 111 of the porcelain tile 110 a; the spacer 112 b is installed such that its base component 114 is positioned under the bottom surface corner areas of the adjacent porcelain tiles 110 a and 110 b and its vertical component 116 is positioned between the surfaces of the sidewall 111 corner areas of the adjacent porcelain tiles 110 a and 110 b; and the spacer 112 d (not shown) is installed and positioned on the surface 124 of the compacted tile bed 122 such that its base component 114 is under the bottom surface corner areas of the adjacent porcelain tiles 110 a, 110 b, 110 c, and 110 d, and its vertical component 116 is positioned between the surfaces of the sidewall 111 corner areas of the adjacent porcelain tiles 110 a, 110 b, 110 c, and 110 d.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3 , the base component 114 of the spacer 112 comprises a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, whereby the top and bottom surfaces are separated by a spaced distance that defines the thickness of the base component 114. The base component 114 can have any suitable thickness. For example, in some embodiments, the thickness of the base component 114 ranges between 1 mm to 10 mm, or 1 mm to 5 mm, including a thickness of 2 mm, 3 mm, and any intermediate thickness encompassed by the ranges. In some embodiments, the top and bottom surfaces are flat or substantially flat. In this context, substantially means that the surface may not be perfectly flat, but one skilled in the art would not notice any significant non-planar shape that would prevent a plurality of porcelain tiles from laying thereon. In such embodiments, the top surface of the base component 114 can receive the bottom surface of the porcelain tiles 110, as the top surface of the base component 114 and the bottom surface of the porcelain tiles 110 are each flat or substantially flat. In some embodiments, the base component 114 comprises one or more through-holes 113 extending between the top and bottom surfaces. During use, the through-holes 113 are configured to allow any liquid flowing through the installation to pass through the base component 114 of the spacer 112 toward the tile bed 122.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3 , the vertical component 116 projects upward from the top surface of the base component 114. The vertical component 116 can include any suitable number of elements 117 (e.g., 2, 3, or 4 elements). The elements 117 of the vertical component 116 can have any suitable thickness. For example, in some embodiments, the thickness of the element 117 can be in the range of 2 mm to 7 mm, or 3 mm to 5 mm, including 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, and any intermediate thickness encompassed by the ranges. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3 , one or more elements 117 may have a tapered shape on its interior end proximate to the center 115 of the vertical component 116.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3 , for example, the vertical component 116 comprises a plus sign (+) shape comprising the four elements 117 a, 117 b, 117 c, and 117 d, each projecting outward from the center 115, whereby two adjacent elements are positioned at an angle of about 90 degrees with respect to one another (e.g., 117 a and 117 b). In such embodiments, the plus sign shape of the vertical component 116 is configured to provide equal spacing between four adjacent porcelain tiles 110, as shown in FIG. 2 with the adjacent porcelain tiles 110 a, 110 b, 110 c, and 110 d and the spacer 112 d.

In some embodiments, one or more of the elements 117 of the vertical component 116 is removable. For example, in FIG. 3 , one of the elements 117 c or 117 a can be removed (e.g., snapped off) by a user to create a vertical component 116 having a T-shape. In such embodiments, a spacer 112 having a T-shape can be used to create the interlocking pattern 140, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 , which involves a spacer between three adjacent porcelain tiles.

In some embodiments, the use of the plurality of spacers 112 in the porcelain tile installation provides one or more joints 142, whereby each respective joint 142 is defined by a spaced distance between the sidewall surfaces of adjacent porcelain tiles. As shown in FIG. 2 , for example, the spacers 112 a, 112 b, 112 c, 112 d, etc. provide a consistent spaced distance between the porcelain tiles 110 a, 110 b, 110 c, 110 d, etc. In such embodiments, each joint 142 of the plurality of joints has a size (i.e., the spaced distance between tiles) that is derived from the thickness of the elements 117 of the vertical component 116. In some embodiments, each respective joint 142 is the same size as, or approximately the same size as, the thickness of the element 117 positioned between the porcelain tiles to create the joint 142.

In various embodiments, the method of installing the porcelain tile installation for vehicular use comprises a step of filling the joints between the porcelain tiles. In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4 , for example, the joints 142 of the porcelain tile installation are filled with the sand composition 118. In some embodiments, the sand composition 118 is a polymeric sand composition. One of skill in the art would appreciate that a polymeric sand composition comprises fine sand particles combined with additives that form a binding agent when activated with water. In some embodiments, silica and various polymers are the additives that binds the sand particles one another. In such embodiments, the method further comprises activating the polymeric sand composition to obtain the porcelain tile installation for vehicular use. In some embodiments, the step of activating the polymeric sand composition comprises wetting each respective joint with water.

In some embodiments, the method comprises one or more compaction steps after the sand composition is added to the installation to fill the plurality of joints between the porcelain tiles. In some embodiments, the sand composition is added to the joints to obtain a first joint-filled porcelain tile surface, and the first joint-filled porcelain tile surface is compacted with a compactor to obtain a compacted first joint-filled porcelain tile surface. The compaction step reduces the number of air pockets present between particles of the sand composition. In some embodiments, the method comprises a plurality of joint-filling steps and a plurality of corresponding compaction steps. For example, in some embodiments, the method further comprises adding the sand composition into each respective joint of the compacted first joint-filled porcelain tile surface to obtain a second joint-filled porcelain tile surface, and compacting the second joint-filled porcelain tile surface with a compactor to obtain a compacted second joint-filled porcelain tile surface. In some embodiments, the method further comprises adding the sand composition into each respective joint of the compacted second joint-filled porcelain tile surface to obtain a third joint-filled porcelain tile surface, and compacting the third joint-filled porcelain tile surface with a compactor to obtain a compacted third joint-filled porcelain tile surface. In some embodiments, the method comprises at least two joint-filling and compaction sequences. In some embodiments, the method comprises at least three joint-filling and compaction sequences. In some embodiments, the method comprises at least three, three or more, or a range of three to six joint-filling and compaction sequences.

In various embodiments, the joint-filling steps comprise the use of a polymeric sand composition. In such embodiments, each of the respective joint-filling and compaction sequences (whether one, two, three, or more sequences) is completed prior to activating the polymeric sand composition. In some embodiments, the step of activating the polymeric sand composition comprises wetting each respective joint with water. In some embodiments, a predetermined amount of water is used to activate the polymeric sand composition.

In some embodiments, the method comprises covering the activated polymeric sand composition with a water-resistant or, preferably, waterproof covering material (e.g., a plastic tarpaulin made from, e.g., polyethylene) for a period ranging from about 8 hours to about 60 hours, or from about 12 hours to about 48 hours. The listed ranges encompass any combination (e.g., from about 8 hours to about 48 hours), subrange (e.g., from about 20 hours to about 40 hours) or specific number of hours (e.g., 20, 24, 30, and 40 hours). In some embodiments, covering the activated polymeric sand composition after activation prevents the system from being overwatered (e.g., via rain, sprinklers, etc.), which could deactivate or otherwise diminish the strength of the intra-bonding between particles in the polymeric sand composition and/or inter-bonding between the polymeric sand composition and the sidewalls of the porcelain tiles.

In various embodiments, the method of installing the porcelain tile installation for vehicular use comprises a step of installing an aggregate layer. In such embodiments, an aggregate composition is installed and compacted to provide a compacted aggregate layer having a compacted aggregate surface. As shown in FIG. 1 , for example, an aggregate composition is deposited on the subgrade SG layer and the aggregate composition is compacted to form the compacted aggregate layer 120. The aggregate layer can have any suitable depth. For example, in some embodiments, the depth of the aggregate layer is about 4 inches to about 20 inches, or about 6 inches to about 16 inches, or about 8 inches to about 14 inches. The listed ranges encompass any intermediate and/or specific depth (e.g., 8 inches, 10 inches, 12 inches, etc.).

Any suitable aggregate composition can be used. In some embodiments, for example, the aggregate composition comprises stone. In such embodiments, the stone aggregate can have a stone size in a range of about ⅜ inch to about 1.5 inches, or about 1 inch to about 1.5 inches. The listed ranges encompass any combination, subrange, or specific stone size (e.g., ⅜ inch, ¾ inch, ⅜ inch to 1 inch, etc.). In some embodiments, the aggregate composition comprises #57 stone, in which the pound symbol (#) refers to the sieve size used to filter the aggregate. In such embodiments, the sieve openings having a size of 1 inch to 1.5 inches. In some embodiments, the sieved composition components each have a size of 4.75 mm to 25 mm.

In some embodiments, the method of installing the porcelain tile installation for vehicular use comprises a step of compacting the native subgrade surface with a compactor to obtain a compacted subgrade surface. In such embodiments, the method can further include covering the compacted subgrade surface with the aggregate composition and compacting the aggregate with a compactor to obtain the compacted aggregate surface.

In various embodiments, the method of installing the porcelain tile installation for vehicular use comprises the installation of a tile bed that provides a layer and a surface for the porcelain tiles to be arranged on. In some embodiments, the tile bed comprises a tile bed composition. In some embodiments, the tile bed composition is installed on the compacted aggregate layer. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1 , for example, the tile bed 122 is installed on the surface of the compacted aggregate layer 120. In such embodiments, the tile bed 122 can be compacted and the plurality of porcelain tiles 110 can be installed on the surface of the compacted tile bed 122. In such embodiments, the compacted tile bed 122 comprises the tile bed composition.

The tile bed 122 can have any suitable depth. For example, in some embodiments, the depth of the tile bed layer is about ¼ inch to about 4 inches thick, or about ¼ inch to about 2 inches thick, or about ½ inch to about 1 inch thick. In this context, the depth of the tile bed is measured from its top surface to its bottom surface. In some embodiments, the porcelain tile installation comprises a filter fabric covering the aggregate layer and the tile bed is installed on the top surface of the filter fabric.

The tile bed 122 (and the compacted tile bed) can comprise any suitable tile bed composition. In some embodiments, for example, the tile bed composition comprises a granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles. In some embodiments, for example, the tile bed composition is a concrete sand composition. One skilled in the art would appreciate that concrete sand is a coarse washed sand with no large rocks or pebbles. Concrete sand often contains gneiss, granite, and limestone components. In some embodiments, the concrete sand composition is a “fine aggregate” having a maximum particle size of ½ inch, ⅜ inch, or ¼ inch. In some embodiments, the concrete sand composition comprises particles having a particle size in a range of about ⅛ inch to about ½ inch, about ⅛ inch to about ⅜ inch, or from about ⅛ inch to about ¼ inch, or about ½ inch or less, or about ⅜ inch or less, or about ¼ inch or less. In some embodiments, the tile bed 122 comprises no particles having a particle size larger than ⅜ of an inch (i.e., the particles are ⅜ inches or less), or no particles having a particle size larger than ¼ of an inch (i.e., the particles are ¼ inches or less). In this context, the particle size refers to the size of the sieve used to filter the composition.

In some embodiments, the tile bed composition used in the tile bed 122 (and the compacted tile bed) comprises components having a larger particle size. For example, in freeze thaw environments (e.g., where the land is commonly frozen down to about 4 to 5 feet below the surface during the winter months), a tile bed composition having chipped and/or crushed stone may be preferred. In some embodiments, the tile bed composition comprises components having a particle size of ¾ inch to about 1 inch. In some embodiments, the tile bed composition comprises components having a particle size of 3 mm or less, or 4 mm or less, or 5 mm or less. In some embodiments, the tile bed composition comprises components having a particle size in the range of from 1 mm to 4 mm, or from 2 mm to 3 mm. In some embodiments, the tile bed composition is #8 aggregate, which comprises components having a particle size of 0.0937 inch or 2.36 mm or less. One skilled in the art would appreciate that the pound symbol (#) refers to the sieve size number.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , the porcelain tile installation 100 for vehicular use comprises one or more borders 108 that approach the boundaries 109 of the installation. As shown in FIG. 6 , the border 108 has a lateral size (e.g., the distance between the dashed lines in FIG. 6 ), as measured from the boundary 109, that is in the range of about 4 inches to about 48 inches. This range encompasses any combination or subrange (e.g., about 6 inches to about 40 inches, about 12 inches to about 36 inches, etc.) and any specific distance (e.g., 12, 24, 32 inches) within the ranges. In some embodiments, each respective border 108 comprises one or more porcelain border tiles 110 x, a cement pad underneath the one or more porcelain border tiles 110 x, and one or more edge restraints 130. In some embodiments, the border 108 has a width equal to the length of the porcelain tile forming the border (e.g., the porcelain tile 110 x or, alternatively, the partial porcelain tile 110 y, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 ).

In some embodiments, the method of installing the border 108 comprises the formation of a cement pad. In such embodiments, the border 108 is prepared by covering a predetermined area with a wet cement mixture. For example, if the border 108 will have a lateral size of 32 inches, then the cement pad will have a corresponding lateral size (i.e., 32 inches) or a larger lateral size (e.g., 36 inches). In some embodiments, a wet cement mixture is added to the surface of the compacted aggregate 120 in a position adjacent to the tile bed 122 to obtain a cement border surface that is substantially coplanar with the compacted tile bed surface. In some embodiments, the border 108 is installed prior to the step of adding the sand composition to the joints and carrying out the joint-filling and compaction sequence(s).

In some embodiments, a portion of the tile bed 122 is removed (e.g., about 1 inch to about 4 inches of the compacted tile bed) and the wet cement mixture is added to the exposed surface where the portion of the tile bed 122 was removed. In such embodiments, the exposed surface may include a portion of the compacted tile bed surface.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , the method comprises installing a plurality of porcelain boundary tiles 110 x and 110 y along the border 108, whereby each respective boundary tile 110 x and/or 110 y establishes an edge for the porcelain tile installation 100.

In some embodiments, the border 108 comprises the edge restraint 130. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 , the porcelain tile installation 100 includes the use of one or more edge restraints 130 at the respective boundaries 109. In some embodiments, each of the edge restraints 130 comprises an L-shape, whereby an installed edge restraint 130 has its vertical element installed such that it is abutted against the boundary tiles 110 x. In some embodiments, each edge restraint 130 is installed on the surface of the tile bed 122, the surface of the compacted aggregate 120, or an area comprising components from the compacted aggregate 120 and the tile bed 122. In some embodiments, the edge restraints 130 are fixed to the underlying surface. In some embodiments, for example, the edge restraints 130 comprise a plurality of through-holes that can receive one or more large nails (spikes), which can be driven into the underlying surface (e.g., a compacted aggregate layer).

In some embodiments, the border 108 comprises a geo-tension restraint system comprising an edge restraint component (e.g., edge restraint 130), a rail component (not shown), and a grid component (not shown). In such embodiments, the grid component comprises a mesh material that is installable on the tile bed surface underneath the plurality of tiles of an installation, and which can be coupled to the edge restraint components, via the rail component and nails/spikes, on opposing sides of the installation. In such embodiments, the edge restraint components are also on the tile bed surface. Any suitable geo-tension restraint system can be utilized on the border 108, including, for example, the geo-tension edge restraint anchor sold by Fortress Edging LLC (Stryprail®).

In various embodiments, the method of installing the porcelain tile installation for vehicular use comprises the use of one or more filter fabrics between one or more layers of the installation. In some embodiments, the method comprises covering the compacted subgrade surface with a filter fabric. In some embodiments, the method comprises covering the compacted aggregate surface with a filter fabric. In some embodiments, the method comprises covering the native subgrade surface with a filter fabric.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1 , for example, the method includes installing the filter fabric 128 between the compacted subgrade (SG) and the aggregate 120. In some embodiments, the method includes installing the filter fabric 126 between the compacted aggregate 120 and the tile bed 122. In such embodiments, the filter fabric provides a separation and stabilization fabric layer having high tensile strength.

In this context, one of skill in the art would appreciate that filter fabric refers to a permeable geotextile fabric that can separate and keep separate different components of the porcelain tile installation (e.g., native soil, compacted subgrade, compacted aggregate, compacted tile bed). The filter fabric can be comprised of any suitable material, have any suitable grade (e.g., standard, intermediate, heavy duty), have any suitable permeability, and be constructed in any suitable form (e.g., woven). In some embodiments, the filter fabric is comprised of polypropylene or polyester and is in a woven form.

EXAMPLES

The porcelain tile installation shown in FIG. 5 was installed on a driveway for vehicular use, the driveway being positioned between a home/garage and a street. The method of installation included the steps of covering a compacted aggregate surface with a tile bed composition to obtain a tile bed; compacting the tile bed to obtain a compacted tile bed surface; and installing a plurality of porcelain tiles and a plurality of spacers on the compacted tile bed surface in an interlocking pattern. Each of respective porcelain tiles had a thickness of about 3 cm. Each of the respective spacers included a base component that was positioned under adjacent tiles and a vertical component that was positioned between the sidewalls of adjacent tiles. The vertical component of the spacers provided a joint between adjacent tiles that was filled with a polymeric sand composition. The installation was then compacted with a compactor. Additional polymer sand composition was added to the joints and the compaction step was repeated. The joint filling and compaction process was performed at least three times. After the final compaction step, water was carefully dispersed across the surface of the installation to activate the polymeric sand composition. No failures were observed in the installation after completion, and after several weeks of vehicular use.

A porcelain tile installation was completed on a different driveway for vehicular use. The method of installation included the steps of covering a compacted aggregate surface with a tile bed composition to obtain a tile bed; compacting the tile bed to obtain a compacted tile bed surface; and installing a plurality of porcelain tiles on the compacted tile bed surface in a predetermined pattern. Each of respective porcelain tiles had a thickness of about 3 cm. In this example, no spacers were installed on the tile bed surface between the tiles. A polymeric sand composition was added to the joints between adjacent tiles, and the installation was compacted with a compactor. Water was carefully dispersed across the surface of the installation to activate the polymeric sand composition. After several weeks of vehicular use, the installation failed. Without being bound to a particular theory, it appears that without spacers, adjacent tiles shifted closer to one another during use of the installation, and, in certain areas, the adjacent tiles contacted one another. Damage to the porcelain tiles in the areas of contact was clearly visible.

A porcelain tile installation was completed on a different driveway for vehicular use. The method of installation included the steps of covering a compacted aggregate surface with a tile bed composition to obtain a tile bed; compacting the tile bed to obtain a compacted tile bed surface; and installing a plurality of porcelain tiles and a plurality of spacers on the compacted tile bed surface in a predetermined pattern. Each of the respective porcelain tiles had a thickness of about 3 cm. Each of the respective spacers included a vertical component that was positioned between the sidewalls of adjacent tiles. In this example, the spacers did not include a base component that could be positioned under the tiles. The vertical component provided a joint to which a polymeric sand composition was added. The joints were filled with a polymeric sand composition and the installation was compacted with a compactor. Water was carefully dispersed across the surface of the installation to activate the polymeric sand composition. After several weeks of vehicular use, the installation failed. Without being bound to a particular theory, it appears that without a base component on the spacers, the compaction step caused the spacers to rise off the tile bed toward the surface of the installation, and the polymeric sand composition shifted to fill the void left behind. Due to the movement of the spacers and the polymeric sand composition during use of the installation, the sizes of the various joints did not remain consistent and adjacent tiles shifted toward one another in certain areas. The installation was not acceptable to the homeowner or the installer.

A porcelain tile installation was completed on a different driveway for vehicular use. The method of installation included the steps of covering a compacted aggregate surface with a tile bed composition to obtain a tile bed; compacting the tile bed to obtain a compacted tile bed surface; and installing a plurality of porcelain tiles and a plurality of spacers on the compacted tile bed surface in a predetermined pattern. Each of respective porcelain tiles had a thickness of about 3 cm. Each of the respective spacers included a base component that was positioned under adjacent tiles and a vertical component that was positioned between the sidewalls of adjacent tiles. The vertical component provided a joint to which a polymeric sand composition was added. In this example, no compaction step was performed, and water was carefully dispersed across the surface of the installation to activate the polymeric sand composition. After several weeks of vehicular use, the installation failed. Without being bound to a particular theory, it appears that without one or more proper compaction steps, the polymeric sand composition was able to break apart, and chunks of the sand composition were able to rise out of the installation. Due to the failed polymeric sand composition, the tiles were not properly separated, adjacent tiles were shifted closer to one another during use of the installation, and, in certain areas, the adjacent tiles contacted one another. Damage to the porcelain tiles in the areas of contact was clearly visible.

The Examples highlight several aspects of importance for the method described herein. First, the configuration of the spacer is important. Without a spacer, it was found that adjacent tiles shifted toward one another during use of the installation, which resulted in damage to the adjacent tiles where they contacted one another. When a spacer without a base component was used in an installation, it is likely the one or more compaction steps generated vibrational forces that caused the spacer to rise away from the tile bed, ultimately leading to the failure of the installation. Second, the one or more compaction steps are important. Despite the instructions from the porcelain tile manufacturers to not use a compactor on the tiles, it was found that without the compaction step(s) the cured sand composition started to break apart, ultimately leading to the failure of the installation. Third, the thickness of the porcelain tiles is important. It was found that the 3 cm tiles comprise the requisite thickness and strength to withstand the compression forces and weight of the vehicles during use as well as the vibrational forces of the compactor during the installation process. Tiles having a thickness of less than 3 cm have significantly less compressional strength and cannot withstand the compaction during installation and the weight of vehicles during use of the installation.

Exemplary embodiments of the systems and methods are described above in detail. The systems and methods are not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, but rather, components of the systems and/or steps of the method may be utilized independently and separately from other components and/or steps described herein. For example, the system may also be used in combination with other systems and methods, and is not limited to practice with only a system as described herein. Rather, the exemplary embodiment can be implemented and utilized in connection with many other systems.

Although specific features of the present embodiments may be shown in some drawings and not in others, this is for convenience only. In accordance with the principles of the disclosure, any feature of a drawing may be referenced and/or claimed in combination with any feature of any other drawing.

This written description uses examples to disclose the present embodiments, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the present embodiments, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the present embodiments is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims. 

1. A method of installing a porcelain tile installation for vehicular use, comprising: covering a compacted aggregate surface with a tile bed composition to obtain a tile bed; compacting the tile bed to obtain a compacted tile bed surface; installing a plurality of porcelain tiles and a plurality of spacers on the compacted tile bed surface to obtain an intermediate porcelain tile installation, the plurality of porcelain tiles positioned in a predetermined pattern, wherein each respective porcelain tile comprises a thickness of about 3 cm to about 5 cm; wherein one or more respective spacers comprises a base component positioned under adjacent tiles of the plurality of porcelain tiles and a vertical component positioned between respective sidewalls of the adjacent tiles, the vertical component providing a joint defined by a spaced distance between the adjacent tiles; adding a polymeric sand composition to each respective joint in the intermediate porcelain tile installation to obtain a first joint-filled porcelain tile surface; compacting the first joint-filled porcelain tile surface with a compactor to obtain a compacted first joint-filled porcelain tile surface; and activating the polymeric sand composition to obtain the porcelain tile installation for vehicular use.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: further adding the polymeric sand composition into each respective joint of the compacted first joint-filled porcelain tile surface to obtain a second joint-filled porcelain tile surface; and further compacting the second joint-filled porcelain tile surface with the compactor to obtain a compacted second joint-filled porcelain tile surface.
 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising: further adding the polymeric sand composition into each respective joint of the compacted second joint-filled porcelain tile surface to obtain a third joint-filled porcelain tile surface; and further compacting the third joint-filled porcelain tile surface with the compactor to obtain a compacted third joint-filled porcelain tile surface.
 4. (canceled)
 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: installing one or more edge restraints to a border surface in a position adjacent to the sidewall of the porcelain tiles on the border surface.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined pattern is an interlocking pattern.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the base component of the one or more respective spacers comprises a substantially flat top surface and a substantially flat bottom surface, and wherein the vertical component projects upward from the top surface of the base component.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the tile bed comprises a composition comprising components having a particle size in a range of ⅜ inch or less.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the activating the polymeric sand composition comprises wetting each respective joint with water.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the activating the polymeric sand composition further comprises covering the porcelain tile installation for vehicular use with a water-resistant material for a period of 12 to 48 hours.
 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising: compacting a native subgrade surface with a compactor to obtain a compacted subgrade surface; covering the compacted subgrade surface with aggregate; and compacting the aggregate with a compactor to obtain the compacted aggregate surface.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the aggregate comprises a plurality of stones, each having a stone size of about 1 to about 1.5 inches.
 13. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more porcelain tiles of the plurality of porcelain tiles comprises width and length measurements selected from 6″×12″; 8″×32″; 12″×12″; 12″×24″; 12″×36″; 16″×32″; 24″×24″; 6″×48″; and 48″×48″.
 14. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more porcelain tiles of the plurality of porcelain tiles comprises a thickness of about 3 cm or about 4 cm.
 15. The method of claim 1, wherein the vertical component of each respective spacer comprises one or more elements having a thickness in the range of about 3 mm to about 5 mm.
 16. The method of claim 1, wherein each respective porcelain tile comprises a plurality of unpolished sidewalls.
 17. The method of claim 1, wherein each respective porcelain tile comprises a width ranging from about 6 inches to about 48 inches and a length ranging from about 8 inches to about 48 inches.
 18. A method of installing a porcelain tile installation for vehicular use, comprising: covering a compacted aggregate surface with a tile bed composition to obtain a tile bed; compacting the tile bed to obtain a compacted tile bed surface; installing a plurality of porcelain tiles and a plurality of spacers on the compacted tile bed surface to obtain an intermediate porcelain tile installation, the plurality of porcelain tiles positioned in a predetermined pattern, wherein each respective porcelain tile comprises a thickness of about 3 cm to about 5 cm; wherein one or more respective spacers comprises a base component positioned under adjacent tiles of the plurality of porcelain tiles and a vertical component positioned between respective sidewalls of the adjacent tiles, the vertical component providing a joint defined by a spaced distance between the adjacent tiles; adding a polymeric sand composition to each respective joint in the intermediate porcelain tile installation to obtain a first joint-filled porcelain tile surface; compacting the first joint-filled porcelain tile surface with a compactor to obtain a compacted first joint-filled porcelain tile surface; further adding the polymeric sand composition into each respective joint of the compacted first joint-filled porcelain tile surface to obtain a second joint-filled porcelain tile surface; further compacting the second joint-filled porcelain tile surface with the compactor to obtain a compacted second joint-filled porcelain tile surface; further adding the polymeric sand composition into each respective joint of the compacted second joint-filled porcelain tile surface to obtain a third joint-filled porcelain tile surface; further compacting the third joint-filled porcelain tile surface with the compactor to obtain a compacted third joint-filled porcelain tile surface; and activating the polymeric sand composition to obtain the porcelain tile installation for vehicular use.
 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising: compacting a native subgrade surface with a compactor to obtain a compacted subgrade surface; covering the compacted subgrade surface with aggregate; and compacting the aggregate with a compactor to obtain the compacted aggregate surface.
 20. The method of claim 18, further comprising: wherein the activating the polymeric sand composition comprises wetting each respective joint with water; and wherein the activating the polymeric sand composition further comprises covering the porcelain tile installation for vehicular use with a water-resistant material for a period of 12 to 48 hours.
 21. The method of claim 1, wherein the compactor delivers vibrational forces to the first joint-filled porcelain tile surface. 